Realization of a pulsed optically pumped rubidium frequency standard

In this paper we present the more recent developments of a vapor cell frequency standard based on a pulsed technique. The laboratory prototype we implemented has shown very interesting metrological features, such as negligible light-shift and strongly reduced cavity-pulling. Moreover, a frequency stability of σ_y(τ) = 1.2×10^-12 τ^-1/2 for measurement times up to τ ≈ 100000 s has been achieved.